Self-forming pouring spout for containers



DCC 2, 1958 F. D; BERGsTElN -2,862,649A Y l SELF-FORMING POURING spouT FOR CONTAINERS FLlecLFeb. 21, 1957 I i 2 sheets-sheet 1 8 4 I 'limb ,1f/f

v INVENTOR.

@fm/A' .55.665 Tf1/v,

Dec. 2, 1958 F. D. .BERGSTEIN 2,862,549

' SELF-FORMING PoURING sPQUT FOR CONTAINERS l Filed Feb. 21, 1957 y 2 shets-sheet 2 y BL/w ATTORNEYS.

United Statesl lPatent SELF-FORMING POURING SPOUT FOR Y CONTAINERS Application February 21, 1957, Serial No. 641,750 12 Claims. ,(Cl. 222-531) This inventionrelates Vto pouring spouts for containers or cartons and more particularly to Vthe provision of a pouringpspout inthe nature of a foil patch associated with the interior surface of the Vcarton or its liner'inpregistry with a displaceable flap formed in a wall of thecar'ton, the arrangement being such thatvoutward displacement of the ap will result in the automatic yformation ofthe foil patch intora pouring `spout`proje`cting from the opening defined by the displaced ap. v

The Vuse of conventional pre-formed metallic spouts has presented ycertain problems Where the material to be dispensed is of such character that it requires protection from the outside atmosphere. VSince the application of the 'conventional pouring spout;l requires the Ycutting of slots in the carton for the passage of the-wings or sides of the spout as well as additional perforations for the hooks or prongs used to secure the spout in place, an overwrap of an impervious material must be provided if proofness is to 'be obtained. Such overwrap not only adds materially to the cost of the package and requires separate handling operations, but in addition the user must first sever 0r otherwise remove a portion of the wrapper to gain access to the pouring spout. The same considerations are true Where the container itself is of proofed character, i. e. wax or polyethylene coated board,

' and only the spout and surrounding area `is covered by a protective patch. The alternative to externally proong the carton is the provision of an inner liner which may be fabricated as an integral partof the carton as, for

example, ink accordance with the teachings of Bergstein In accordance with the instant invention, I provide a Y spout-forming foilv patch which is initially applied to the inner surface of the liner in alignment with a dee'ctable ap in the'carton tbody, the central or base portion of the foil patch being secured to the liner which is in turn secured to the ap so that outward` movement of the ap willfcause the liner to be broken away along lines coincidingwith the side edges ofthe opening defined by the displaced flap. The outward movement of the base portion of the spout causes the side portions or wings to 'be folded at rightangles as they are withdrawn through the opening, thereby automatically folding thespout parts to erected condition. Alternatively, the spout may -be pre-formed, i. e. the wingportions folded relative to the base portion prior to attachment to the liner. Of course, where no liner is employed, the spout forming patch Even theuse of a pro-I s 2,862,649 Patented Dec. 2,1958

ice y a pouring spout of the character described which will be self-forming upon outward displacement ofthe hap to which it is secured.

. Aifurther object of my invention is the provisionof a pouring spout formed froma patch of aluminum f oil, the patches preferably being formed from a roll of foil as an incident of a continuous operation.

A further object of my invention is the provision of proofed carton or container in which the liner is retained in imperforate condition until such time as it isdesired to use the pouring spout, whereupon the liner may `be ruptured and the pouring spout formed in a single manipulative step. l

Still a further object of my invention is the provision of a pouring spout structure which is extremelyeasy to fabricate as an incident of the fa-brication'of the carton itself and which effects economies and advantageshitherto. unobtainable in a container incorporating an integral pouring spout. ,p v'The foregoing, ytogether with other objects `of my invention which .will appear hereinafter or which will Ibe apparent to the skilled worker in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by those constructions and'arrange'ments of parts of which I shall now describe certainexemplary embodiments. .p

Reference is now vmade to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a Acarton blank formed in accordance with my invention. 'v Figure 2 isa fragmentary plan view illustrating the formation of a pouring spout patch from a roll of aluminum foil. v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating the manner in which the foil patch of Figure 2 is secured to the carton blank.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an erected carton Vin-v corporating the pouring spout.

. Figure 5 is avcrtical sectional View taken along the j line 5--5 ofhFigurei.v f p Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional View taken along the line 6 6 of Figure 4.

A principal object of iny invention is the provision of the pouring spoutin'pouring condition.

v Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Figurer6 but illustrating the `pouringspout in pouring condition. Y v Figure 9 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 3 but illustrating an alternative form of construction.

Figure l0 is a fragmentaryV perspective Aviewillustrating the spout of Figure 9 in pouring condition.

. Figure 11 is a plan view of a device suitable for applying the foil patches to the erected and open-ended containers.

Figure 1,2m is an elevational view-with parts-in section ofthedevice of Figure l1. i r

Figure 13 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View illustrating the cartonv of Figure 12V with the spout forming patch positioned therein.-

VFigure 14-is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 14-14 of Figure 12.

Figure 15 is a vertical sectional view taken-along the line 15V-15 of Figure 13.

Figure 16 is a fragmentary'plan view of yet another embodiment of my invention.

Figure 17 is a fragmentary perspective lview of a carton and liner incorporating `the embodiment of Figure 16.

Figures 18 and vl9-are vertical-sectional .views taken along the line 18-18 of Figure Al7zfand'illustrate` alternative positions of 'the pouring spout. fi. T

Y From the outset it will;be.;understood that the' form-of carton or container employed does not constitute al Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating limitation on my invention and it may be of either the knock-down or set-up variety. Preferably, where an inner liner is to be used, the carton will be of the knockdown variety in which the liner is associated with the carton blank, whereupon the carton body walls are tubed about the liner and adhesively secured thereto.

Referring now to Figure 4 of the drawings, I have therein illustrated a conventional tuck-end carton having body walls'1, 2, 3 and 4 in articulation and joined together by means of a glue ap 5. Suitable end closure aps, such as the flaps 6, 7 and S, are provided at the ends of the body walls, as will be readily understood by the worker in the art. In accordance with my invention and as best seen in Figure l, a deflectable ap 9 is formed near the upper end of one of the body walls, such as the body Wall 3, the deflectable flap being hingedly connected to the wall at its lower end along the score line 10. In order that the user may readily engage the upper free edge of the flap 9, I prefer to provide a supplementary flap 11 oppositely directed with respect to the flap'9 and hingedly connected to the carton body wall along the score line 12. With this arrangement, the user may readily deflect the supplementary ap 11 inwardly with the tip of his index linger, thereby enabling him to engage the free upper edge of the Hap 9 and move it outwardly. Where the carton is lined, a knife blade may be rst inserted between the edges of the two flaps to sever the liner. Once severed in this manner, the liner will readily tear along the side edges of the ap as it is moved outwardly and the wings drawn through the opening so formed.

Figure 2 illustrates a foil patch 13 from which the pouring spout is formed. Preferably, the patch will be formed from dead-soft aluminum foil having a thickness of .005, although it is to be understood that this exempplary embodiment does not constitute a limitation on my invention. The foil patch comprises a body or base portion 14 centrally disposed with respect to a pair of side or wing portions 15 and 16 separated in part from the base portion by lines of cut 17 and 18 projecting inwardly from the lower edge of the patch. As illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 2, the patches may be formed in nested relation from a strip or roll of foil 19, thereby greatly facilitating their formation.

Figure 3 illustrates the attachment of the foil patch 13 to the wall 3 of the carton body. As shown therein, the dimensions of the foil patch are such that the lines of cut 17 and 18 lie in prolongation of the side edges of ap 9 with their upper edges coinciding with the ends of score line 10. The depth of the patch is such that its upper edge substantially coincides with the upper free edge of nap 9. The body or base of the patch thus in part overlies the flap 9 and, as to the portion thereof between the lines of cut 17 and 18, overlies the portion of body Wall 3 immediately beneath score line 10. The base is adhesively secured to the underlying parts by means of the adhesive area 20 which may be applied either to the patch or to the carton. In a preferred form -of the invention, the foil patch is itself surface coated with a heat scalable material, such as polyethylene, which permits the patch to be heat sealed directly to the carton or liner, as the case may be, thereby eliminating the necessity of interposing a liquied bonding adhesive. While the liner has been omitted from the embodiment illustrated, it will be obvious that the liner may be interposed between the body Wall 3 and the foil patch, in which event the liner itself will be secured to at least the flap 9.

It will be evident from the foregoing that the spout forming patch may be applied in flat condition to the inner surface of the box where it will be completely out of the way and will not interfere with subsequent filling operations. It has been found that exact registry between the patch and the ap is not Yessential to the successful operation of the spout and consequently some variation l may be tolerated without destroying the effectiveness of the spout. To open the spout, the user has simply to deflect the supplementary flap' inwardly with his linger, as illustrated in Figure 5, thereby engaging the upper edge of ap 9, whereupon outward movement of the ap 9 will result in bringing the pouring spout to the condition illustrated in Figure 7. As the base of the spout is moved outwardly, it will be evident that the Wing portions 15 and 16 will be swept rearwardly by the side edges of the opening, thereby bringing them to a position at substantially right angles to the base. This sweeping action is diagrammatically illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 8. The action is automatic andthe inherent dead-folding characteristic of the aluminum foil causes the wings to remain in the folded position. The wings also bear against the sides of the opening and hold the spout in open position. The spout may be readily retracted when it is desired to reclose the pouring opening. Upon reclosure it will be noted that the flap 9 returns to its original `position with its side edges in edge abutting relation to the side edges of the opening and the spout lies wholly within the contines of the carton body.

In Figures 9 and 10, I have illustrated a modied form of pouring spout wherein the supplementary flap 11 is omitted. Short notches or lines of cut 21 and 22 are provided in upward prolongation of the side edges of the opening denned by the flap 9, and the uppermost edges of the wings 15 and 16 are projected upwardly to provide humps or extensions 23 and 24. When the spout is formed upon opening of the flap 9, as seen in Figure l0, the automatic folding of the wings 15 and 16 causes the extending upper edges 23 and 24 to enter the slots or notches 21 and 22, respectively, the slots thus serving as guides for the free edges of the wings. This is particularly desirable where relatively light weight foil is employed and averts the possibility of the wings being folded inwardly to the extent that they will be spaced from the side edges of the opening. Initially, this form of spout may be readily opened by inserting a knife blade along the `upper edge of the flap 9 and moving the ap outwardly.

VIn Figures l1 and l2, I have illustrated an exemplary device for applying the foil patches to a set-up carton. The device is intended for the small user who will receive the cartons in knock-down form, set them up, apply the foil patch and then transfer the cartons to a lilling device. Alternatively, the foil patches may be applied as an incident of the manufacture lof the cartons or, for large users, the patches may be applied as an incident to a continuous filling operation wherein the erected cartons are placed in cages or the like for continuous delivery to the filling instrumentality. In such case, the continuous feeding device may be provided with a patch Iapplying station to which the cartons will be delivered prior to their delivery to the filling instrumentality.

In the device illustrated, the carton is placed in a jig 30 with the wall containing the flap 9 lowermost and the open upper end of the carton' projecting outwardly beyond the jig. A mandrel 31 is positioned immediately beyond the open end :of the carton, and mandrel being connected at one end to a shaft 32 journaled in brackets 33. The arrangement is such that movement of lever arm 34 will cause the mandrel to move in an arcuate path, as indicated in Figure 12, from a patch receiving position A to a patch applying position B. Thus, a, patch 13 may be removed from the supply 35 an'd positioned on the free end of the mandrel, preferably with the wings bent downwardly, whereupon the mandrel will be swung from position A to position B, thereby juxtaposing the patch to the ap 9. A liquid adhesive may be applied to the base portion of the patch as it is positioned on the mandrel, or, where the patch has a heat reactivable coated surface of heat scalable material, the mandrel may be heated, as by a heating element 36 which will cause the patch to be heat sealed in place within the car ton. As will be evident, the patch may be sealed directly to the inner surface of the carton body wall, or it may be sealed to the inner surface of a liner, such as the liner 37.

As seen in Figure 14, it is also in the spirit of my invention to pre-form or pre-fold the wings 15 and 16prior to the attachment of the foil patch to the carton. This may be readily done simply. by folding the wings downwardly about the mandrel or form 31 in the manner illuStrated. Where this is done, the removal of the mandrel following application of the patch to the carton will result in' the outfolding of the wings, as seen in Figure 15, from the position illustrated in dotted lines to the position illustrated in solid lines in which the wings lie at substantially right angles to the base portion 14. The spout still lies wholly within the confines of the carton Abody, although in this in'stance the wings will project inwardly into the carton as will be evident from Figure 13.

Figures 16 through 19 illustrate a slightly modified form of my invention wherein an arcuate opening 38 is provided immediately above the flap 9 so as to expose a small portion of the liner 37. With this arrangement, the user may readily insert a knife or other sharp object, such as is diagrammatically illustrated at 39 in Figure 18, to sever the liner along the upper edge of the flap 9, whereupon the upper edge of the flap may be readily engaged and moved outwardly to effect the formation of the pouring spout.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that my invention contemplates a metallic spout which, in contrast to the conventional spout, lies on the inside of the carton with its base secured to the inner surface of the carton wall and its wings either extending along the wall or projecting into the interior of the carton body. The wings do not puncture the carton wall, or liner, until the user has opened the ap and caused the spout to be automatically formed into operative position. In fact, with the instant spout structure, all precuts in the carton could be eliminated entirely and the user could form the flap by cutting along lines defining three sides of the flap.

I Modifications may, of course, be made in my inventron without departing from the spirit of it and consequently I do not intend the invention to be limited eX- ceptmg in' the manner set forth in the claims which follow. Having thus described my invention in certain eX- emplary embodiments, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a dispensing container having a wall, a pouring opening defined in said wall by a flap which, when displaced from the plane of said wall, has free upper and side edges with its lower edge hingedly connected Vto said wall along a lin'e of fold, and a pouring spout juxtaposed to the inner surface of said wall in the area of said flap, said pouring spout being formed from metal foil having dead-folding characteristics and configured to define a centrally disposed base portion of a width substantially equal to the Width of said ap and foldable Wing portions projecting outwardly from the opposite sides of said base portion, said base portion having an integral extension projecting downwardly beyond the lower edge of said flap and bridging the line of fold connecting said iiap to said wall, the said base portion and its extension having a coating of heat scalable material thereon by means of which said base portion is secured to said flap and said extension is secured to said wall in the area immediately beneath said ap, whereby upon the outward placement of said ap the base portion of said pouring spout will be folded along a line coinciding with the fold line of said flap and the dead-folding characteristics of said metal foil will serve to maintain the spout in itsoutwardly displaced position, the outward displacement of the flap serving to draw the wing portions of said spout through the pouring opening with their outer surfaces in contact with the opposite side edges of the said opening. v

2. A self-forming pouring spout construction comprising, in combination', a carton having enclosing body walls,

a pouring opening formed in a wall of said carton, said opening being normally closed by a flap hingedly connect ed to the said wall along an' edge of said opening, an inner liner in said carton body, said liner being secured to the inner surface of said ap, and a pouring spout secured to the inner surface of said liner in the area of said ap, whereby said spout is effectively secured to said fiap, said spout comprising an intermediate base portion having a width substantially equal to the width of said flap, and wing portions projecting outwardly from the opposite sides of said base, said pouring spout initially lying wholly within the confines of said inner liner whereby upon outward deflection of said fiap and the. severance of said liner about three contiguous edges of said ap, said base portion of said spout will be drawn through said pouring opening with said wing portions folded inwardly as they are drawn along the edges of the opening adjacent said first named edge to which said flap is hingedly connected.

3. The self-forming pouring spout construction claimed in claim 2. wherein said pouring spout has a surface thereof coated with a heat-scalable material, and wherein the base portion of said pouring spout is secured to said liner by rneans of said heat-scalable coating.

4. The structure claimed in' claim 3 wherein said liner has a heat-sealable coating on its outer surface, and wherein said liner is secured to said flap by means of said heat-scalable coating.

5. In a pouringvspoutconstruction, a carton having a pouring opening defined by a Hap struck from a wall of said carton, a proong liner within said carton, said liner being secured to said flap, and a iiexible pouring spout structure adapted to be projected through said pouring opening upon outward displacement of said flap, said pouring spout structure comprising a base part secured to the inner surface of said liner in the area of said flap, said base part having a width substantially equal to the width of said flap, and wing parts projecting outwardly beyond opposite side edges of said base.

6. The construction claimed in claim 5 wherein said wing parts are initially angularly disposed with respect to said base part.

7. The structure claimed in claim 5 wherein said pouring spout is initially planar, and wherein said wing parts are folded relative to said base part as said fiap is deflected outwardly and said liner severed about the edges of said pouring opening.

8. In a pouring spout construction, a carton having a pouring opening defined by a flap adapted to be struck from a wall of said carton, a liner within said carton, said liner being secured to the inner surface of said ap, and a pouring spout structure having a base and wing parts, the base of said pouring spout being secured to the inner surface of said liner in registry with said flap, whereby upon the rupture of said liner and the outward deflection of said ap, said pouring spout will be moved throfugh said pouring opening to operative position.

9. The pouring spout construction claimed in claim 8 including 4a supplementary flap struck from the said wall of the carton with its free end edge coinciding with the free end edge of said first named-flap, said supplementary flap being deiiectable inwardly to expose the free end edge -of said first named ap.

10. A method of providing a pouring spout for a carton structure which comprises providing a fiat-folded carton body having a pouring opening defined in a wall thereof and normally closed by a ap hingedly connected to said wall along an edge -of said opening, erecting said carton body and depositing within said body a foil patch having a 'base part and wing parts projecting from opposite sides of said base part, said patch being positioned with its base part in registry with the flap in said wall, the base part at least of said foil patch having a heat sealable coating thereon, including the step of securing the base part only of said patch to said fiap by the application of heat and pressure thereto.

11. The method claimed in claim 10 wherein said base has a portion thereof extending beyond the hinged vconnection of said flap to said Wall, and wherein said extending portion of said base has a heat sealable coating thereon and is secured to the :underlying portion of said wall by the application of heat and pressure to the extending portion of said base, Wherebygto impart the dead-folding characteristics of said foil patch to said ap.

12 A method of providing a pouring spout for a lined carton structure which .comprises providing a tubular carton body having an inner liner the :outer surface of which is heat sealable and a pouring opening defined in a wall thereof and normally Aclosed by a flap hingedly connected to said Wall along an edge of said opening, depositing within said inner liner a foil patch having a base part coated with a heat scalable material and wing parts projecting from opposite sides of said base part, said patch being positioned with its base part in registry with the flap i'n said wall, including the step of concurrently securing said liner to said ap and securing the base of said patch to said liner in the area of said ap by the application of heat and pressure to the base part of said patch.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

